Seasonal Wellness Tips for Bai Lu -White Dew
According to the ancient Chinese calendar, Bai Lu is the 15th of 24 two-week solar terms. It falls on the 6th, 7th, or 8th of September every year.
As we approach the autumn equinox, we see the days becoming shorter and the nights growing longer. This is more apparent the further north we go. The sun’s rays also hold less warmth, and the earth loses heat more rapidly, increasing the speed at which the weather cools.
It may remain relatively warm during daylight hours but become much colder after dark, causing a significant difference between nighttime and daytime temperatures. This leads to increased condensation, and even after a clear night, you may wake in the morning to find the grass and leaves heavy with glistening water droplets. This is the source of the name Bai Lu, which translates as “white dew.”
Read on for my top wellbeing tips for Bai Lu and news of an exciting online event happening soon!
Porridge for Breakfast
As we move into autumn, our diets naturally change and we instinctively replace cooling foods with more warming ones. During Bai Lu, it is often chilly in the morning, and eating a warm, hearty breakfast is a great way to start the day.
Oats are a fantastic food at any time of year as they are rich in large carbohydrate molecules known as beta-glucans. Beta-glucans have many health benefits, including supporting immune function, aiding digestion, and improving heart health, to name just a few.
However, you needn’t be limited to oats for your morning porridge. A typical Chinese breakfast consists of a thin rice porridge, often referred to as congee or zhou, alongside some protein, such as boiled eggs or tofu.
In Chinese dietetics, white rice is considered particularly good for nourishing the digestive organs, supplementing central qi, and preventing dryness. It can be combined with other ingredients like beans, sweet potato, or sesame seeds to increase its nutritional value.
The downside of rice porridge is that it takes a long time to cook and contains simple starches, making it unsuitable for people with diabetes or poorly controlled blood sugar. This is why consuming some protein at the same time is important.
Other popular grains for making porridge in China include cornmeal and millet, so if you get bored with oats, there are plenty of other options to try. Whatever grain you choose, be sure to soak it overnight before cooking to release all of its precious nutrients.
Marvel at Mushrooms
During Bai Lu, the heavy dew encourages fungal growth, and here in the UK, mushroom season is well and truly upon us. Mushrooms are an excellent food at this time of year as, like oats, they are rich in beta-glucans and help to support immunity. Mushrooms are also a good source of vitamin D, which is invaluable as the days grow shorter.
Like humans, mushrooms produce vitamin D when they come into contact with sunlight. Therefore, wild mushrooms grown outdoors have especially high levels of this essential nutrient and I highly recommend joining a professionally-led fungal foray to learn more about edible species growing in your area.
Commercially-produced mushrooms are typically grown in the dark and contain lower levels of vitamin D, but you can boost their content by slicing them up and placing them outside for at least 20 minutes before cooking. Magic!
Celebrate the Harvest Moon
The full moon that falls closest to the autumn equinox is known as the Harvest Moon. It is celebrated by many different cultures as a time of fullness, completion, and abundance.
In China, the Harvest Moon ties in with Mid-Autumn Festival, the second most important holiday after Spring Festival. It is a time when people gather to appreciate the moon and eat special pastries known as mooncakes, as well as seasonal foods like pumpkin, pomelo, and grapes.
Appreciating the moon and celebrating the harvest are just two ways that we can feel more connected to the cycles of nature and honour our bodies’ needs accordingly. This is something that is often forgotten in our hectic modern lives but is key to our wellbeing.
For more personalised seasonal wellbeing advice, you can book a holistic health coaching session via the contact page.
References
买雯婷 (2011) 第一养生药膳 - Tangmark Publishing and Distribution, Beijing
Leggett, D. (2005) Helping Ourselves (second edition) - Meridian Press, Totnes